Many lessons have been drawn and will continue to be drawn from the recent upheaval on the streets of Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, who had been in police custody. One of those — perhaps the most life-affirming lesson to emerge from this ordeal — is that people will come together in times of sadness and pain. Marylanders in communities surrounding the city certainly have.
We saw time and again that the city line is not a boundary between those who do and do not care about Baltimore. We saw it when the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department sent out a plea for water, juice and snacks to refresh first responders in the city and, thanks to social media, was deluged with donations. We saw it in Howard County when volunteers gathered more than a ton of donated food while others turned up with brooms and shovels to clean up post-riot debris. We saw it on Sunday in the outreach displayed in many suburban churches, from pulpit to pew, for brethren in the city, including the rallying call of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, "With God we can heal a broken city." We saw it in support rallies held on college campuses such as Towson University.
In a way, this should not be surprising. Baltimore is the flagship of our small state. Countless suburbanites pride themselves on roots in the city. Culturally, Marylanders have to leave the state to find anything on a par with what Baltimore has to offer. In sports, it is guaranteed that it wasn't just city residents who were disappointed on April 29 when, for security reasons, the Orioles were forced to play the White Sox behind locked gates in an empty stadium (and the O's won!). And, when the Ravens make the playoffs, you need not drive into the city to hear the cheering.
Much work remains. Looking ahead as tempers, we pray, continue to settle down, the riot aftermath leaves about 200 damaged or destroyed businesses, including many groceries and pharmacies that will leave many Baltimoreans strapped for essentials. Jobs have been lost, many permanently — some burned or trashed businesses were uninsured. Help will be necessary. If charity begins at home, consider Baltimore part of the family.
Charm City is a survivor. This tough port city has had a way of coming through in the clutch since at least 1814, when it kicked redcoat butt. The riot of 2015 will undergo analysis and, no doubt, become a teachable moment. One lesson will be that in a time of grievous trouble, Baltimore was not alone.